"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
John Stuart Mill

Friday, January 01, 2010

Five More Canadians Killed By IED

Kandahar City, Kandahar, Afghanistan (AHN) - The Canadian government on New Year's Day will honor four soldiers and a female journalist who died Wednesday from a blast while their armored vehicle was traveling in Kandahar City.

Sgt. George Miok, 28; Sgt. Kirk Taylor, 28; Cpl. Zachery McCormack, 21; and Private. Garrett William Chidley, 21, will be honored in a formal ramp ceremony in Kandahar as their bodies are loaded aboard a transport. Calgary Herald reporter Michelle Lang, who was traveling with the soldiers, also will commemorated.

Their bodies are expected to arrive in Canada on Sunday afternoon at the Canadian Forces Base Trenton.

Brig. Gen. Daniel Menard of the Canadian Forces said the four soldiers were enthusiastic and passionate. Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai also voiced condolences with the families of the five blast victims.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement, "These four brave soldiers lost their lives seeking to help Afghans build a better future for themselves. They represent the best Canada has to offer and they perished in a far away land, working tirelessly to advance Canadian values. We owe them a debt we can never repay."

He added, "I also offer my most sincere condolences to the loved ones of journalist Michelle Lang, who courageously risked her life reporting from one of the world's most dangerous countries. She lost her life reporting on the invaluable work being done by Canadian soldiers, aid workers and diplomats in Afghanistan."